James Gurney

This daily weblog by Dinotopia creator James Gurney is for illustrators, plein-air painters, sketchers, comic artists, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find practical studio tips, insights into the making of the Dinotopia books, and first-hand reports from art schools and museums.

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Imaginative Realism

Dinotopia: The World Beneath

"A ravishing, action-packed adventure." —Smithsonian. Now with 32 extra behind-the-scenes pages. Signed by the author/illustrator

Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara

160 pages, fully illustrated in color. Written and illustrated by James Gurney. Signed by the author

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or by email:gurneyjourney (at) gmail.comSorry, I can't give personal art advice or portfolio reviews. If you can, it's best to ask art questions in the blog comments.

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All images and text are copyright 2015 James Gurney and/or their respective owners. Dinotopia is a registered trademark of James Gurney. For use of text or images in traditional print media or for any commercial licensing rights, please email me for permission.

However, you can quote images or text without asking permission on your educational or non-commercial blog, website, or Facebook page as long as you give me credit and provide a link back. Students and teachers can also quote images or text for their non-commercial school activity. It's also OK to do an artistic copy of my paintings as a study exercise without asking permission.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Here's something that never happened before, and may never happen again.

A customer named Sarah from Burlington, Ontario ordered a copy of the 20th Anniversary Edition of Dinotopia from our little online store. I had the book all wrapped up and was ready to put it in the mail when Google told me that I would be driving near her workplace on my trip back from Toronto. I realized the book would get to her faster if I just dropped it off myself.

On Tuesday morning I arrived at Sarah's office building. I asked the receptionist if Sarah might be free at the moment. I explained that Sarah had ordered a book, that I'm the author of the book, and that I've driven 500 miles away from home and would like to give it to her personally.

Sarah arrived. I handed her the package and returned the money she had paid for the extra shipping costs. She was a little surprised to find out that the delivery guy was also the author. She said she had all my other books, she enjoyed them since she was a kid, and this was the last one that completed her collection.

As an author, I'm always interested to meet my readers. I know I wouldn't be in this business without lots of people like Sarah. So thanks, Sarah, and thanks to each of my other readers. I wish I could hand deliver all my orders!

You can order books and prints from my website stores at JamesGurney.com or Dinotopia.com. No guarantee I'll bring them to you personally, but I would be happy to sign them for you.

I am sorry to have missed my opportunity to meet you while you were in my neck of the woods, but I hope you had a good time in T.O. A very good friend of mine excitedly informed me that she and some friends ran into you at the ROM last weekend and thought you and your wife were two of the nicest folks they've met.

I just had ordered your book - Imaginative realism. I am just imagining you travlling near to my place and delivering that book, almost like Sarah. Difference would be I would ask for a coffee and sketch with you. Though its very hard to happen since its in India. :)

@Rich... thanks but I have been a follower of James's blog and I know he has been to China once. India is not so distant from there... but all depends on the timing of my booking and James to be on that place. But yeah, crazy chances that may happen once just like it happened with Sarah. Till then we have his blog and books for inspirations.

@BhaskarWho knows: India is not too distant from China, as you say. There's hardly anything like distance anymore nowadays, in the days of internet and world-wide-web. Distance "trampled to death by the gods" as the Indian poet says. And if James should not be able to personally deliver the book to you: "We have his blog and books for inspirations", as you say.